On Saturday morning, May 29 Tropical Storm Agatha flew over Guatemala. It dropped three feet of rain in less than 24 hours and disguarded houses and belongings with its winds of up to 45mph. In short, it devastated Guatemala and has left it picking up the pieces.
It has so far killed 146 people, left 52 people missing, 54 people injured and 94,000 evacuted from their homes. And the death toll is rising. The emergency crews have struggled to reach isolated communities; communities cut-off by washed out roads and collapsed bridges. Mudslides have destoyed homes and buildings and have buried some victims. They have no electricity, no water and no support. Communities like those we work in.
Guatemala is in a state of emergency. The most effected regions are Guatemala, Sacatepéquez, and Chimaltenango. The regions which hold Santa Maria, Antigua and Itzapa; the places we live and work.
Our two communities have been left devastated by Agatha. Disguarded as it swept through on its path. Homes have been swept away, food and crops destroyed, families lost, belongings ruined and water supplies cut. In Itzapa and the surrounding area landslides buried dozens of rural communities and killed at least 60 people. The department has collapsed. In Santa Maria we know four of the dead. They need water, food, shelter, clothes but above all money to rebuild their lives.
But GVI has been here before. We have helped our communities rebuild their lives after Hurricane Stan, Hurricane Mitch, and we will help them after Tropical Storm Agatha. But we need your help.
We need to be able to provide water, food, shelter, clothes and support for the coming months. But we can't do it alone. Please donate what you can to support us. To help rebuild lives.
LATEST NEWS:
Thank you for your kind support so far. We have been able to buy a months supply of emergency food for all of the 382 families and today Santa Maria's was handed out!!!! This couldn't have been done without your support. Now we need to buy new wood and roof (approx. $100 per household) to rebuild their houses. PLEASE keep giving so that we can provide roofing for everyone. THANK YOU!!!!
